Barbara Keller is the owner of the Hasenacher Stud. As the director she also holds the reins in all matters relating to the company. Barbara Keller grew up with horses and brings extensive experience to Hasenacher Stud, experience she gained first hand in years working in well known stables and studs across the world.
In the early 1970s, she rode thoroughbreds for the stables of the leading Swiss racehorse trainer, Hans Woop. She then rode out for racing stables in both England and Ireland, before working in New Zealand preparing yearlings for auction. Barbara then moved to Australia, where she worked as a groom and track rider to Bart Cummings in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. This legendary trainer entered racing history as “The Cups King”; Cummings-trained horses have won the Melbourne Cup – “The Race that stops the Nation” – a record twelve times. In 1981, Barbara Keller moved to Ireland to Troytown Veterinary Hospital in Kildare under the legendary Stan Crosgrove. Cosgrove was not only highly respected as a vet, but also as Manager of the Moyglare Stud for AMAG founder, Walter Haefner.
Barbara then took over her own management position and was Co-Manager of Ireland’s Cleaboy Stud until 1992. An international thoroughbred stud, Cleaboy included among its stock a number of horses from Prince Ahmed Salman’s Thoroughbred Corporation. Its yearlings sold at top auctions thanks to a reputation for being strong, good horses. Vaguely Noble, outstanding winner of the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris, grew up on the limestone soils of Cleaboy Stud in the 1960s and later became a leading sire in thoroughbred breeding.
Barbara then returned to Switzerland, where she devoted herself to organizational matters. For over a decade, she was responsible for international relations for White Turf, St Moritz, and became the first chairman of the Swiss branch of the international charity Right To Play.